Janata Dal-Secular’s H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday took the oath of office at a mega-gathering, attended by Congress president Rahul Gandhi, his mother Sonia and strong regional leaders like Mamata Banerjee, Mayawati and Sharad Pawar.
The event was planned in such a way that it would serve as a giant display of opposition unity against the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Is the BJP watching?
We are one! TMC's Mamata Banerjee, NCP's Sharad Pawar, RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, SP's Akhilesh Yadav, CPI-M's Sitaram Yechury, AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, TDP's Chandra Babu Naidu and Congress's Rahul and Sonia all exchanged smiles and laughs as they stood together at HD Kumaraswamy's oath taking ceremony. Photograph: PTI Photo
Picture Perfect! All the Opposition leaders were present at HD Kumaraswamy's swearing-in ceremony with big smiles. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo
BSP's Mayawati waves to the happy crowds as she hugs UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi who was accompanied by son and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Photograph: @INCIndia/Twitter
The three most powerful women in politics seem to have a great rapport as Sonia, Mayawati and West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee laugh. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo
WATCH: Sonia and Mayawati share hugs and smiles at Kumaraswamy's oath-taking ceremony
Awww... Aren't they cute? Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo
Ahead of the ceremony, N Chandrababu Naidu and Mamata Banerjee called upon all regional parties to come together on a common platform to strengthen federalism. "I met Mamata ji and we all have come here to witness the swearing-in ceremony of Kumaraswamy. He is from a regional party and we are very happy that he has become the chief minister of Karnataka," he said.Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee greets Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo
One-time rivals in Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav share the stage at Vidha Soudha in Bengaluru. Though, both the parties have recently come closer, particularly after they together managed to win the Lok Sabha by-elections in Gorakhpur and Phulpur, this is the first time the two leaders will share a platform together at a public event. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo
Any advice for me? Newly-sworn in CM Kumaraswamy with previous CM Siddaramaiah. Photograph: @INCIndia/Twitter
From Patna to Lucknow to Thiruvananthapuram, leaders of opposition parties from across the country showed up for the ceremony. Here's RJD's Tejashwi Yadav with Akhilesh and Mamata di. Photograph: ANI/Twitter
Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav hugs former prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda during the swearing-in ceremony. Photograph: Shailendra Bhojak/PTI Photo
